AZUSA, Calif. - Another outstanding season is in the books for Azusa Pacific, as the Cougars were beaten by Montana State Billings in the semifinals of the West Regional by a 66-56 score in the Felix Event Center on Saturday evening. The Cougars finished the season with a 29-4 record, which included a perfect 20-0 PacWest mark and a 25-game winning streak, which set  a new program record. 

Paige Uyehara turned in a 21-point performance in her final game in an Azusa Pacific uniform, as the point guard played the entire 40 minutes. Amayah Kirkman had a near double-double, scoring nine points and grabbing nine rebounds. Molly Whitmore, who also played for the final time with the Cougars, impacted the game in several ways, scoring seven points and tallying four rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

How It Happened: Montana State Billings quickly seized the early momentum in the contest, as the Yellowjackets jumped out to a 21-5 lead after the first quarter of play. The Cougars were able to fight back into the game in the second quarter, opening with a 9-0 run over the first five and a half minutes of the period to draw within seven at 21-14. The margin would be as close as five at 26-21 with 1:44 left before halftime, but the Yellowjackets entered the break up nine at 30-21.

After Montana State Billings was able to push the lead up to 11 at 35-24 to start the third, the Cougars put together another run that saw them pull within a possession at 35-33 with 3:19 on the clock. The Yellowjackets would respond by scoring on their next possession, and the lead remained at two possessions or more for the remainder of the evening. 

In the fourth quarter, Azusa Pacific got as close as four at 52-48 with just over three minutes to play, but Montana State Billings went on a 7-2 run over the next two minutes to maintain a cushion. 

By the Numbers: There was a significant discrepancy in free throw attempts in the game, as Montana State Billings shot 18 free throws, which they made 16 of, while the Cougars only had six free throw attempts (4-for-6), including just two attempts over the entirety of the second half. The Yellowjackets also posted a big advantage in three-pointers, which they finished 10-for-22 (40%), while the Cougars went just 4-for-22 (18%). On the glass, Montana State Billings outrebounded the Cougars 43-30.

Historic Season: While it ended sooner than any member of the program or their fans wanted, the 2023-24 season was a memorable one for the program. The Cougars' 29 wins marks the sixth-consecutive 20-win season, and it ties the third most wins in a season in program history. Their 20 regular season PacWest victories is the second most conference wins in program history, and those wins were a part of a program-record 25-game winning streak, which ran from late November all the way through this evening. Among those 25 wins was a 80-68 victory at Westmont, which marked the 400th win of head coach T.J. Hardeman's Azusa Pacific career. Speaking of streaks, the Cougars continued their conference supremacy by winning both the regular season and tournament titles for the third-consecutive season, which is a first in PacWest history. The Cougars also extended their NCAA Tournament streak to six consecutive appearances, and Azusa Pacific has advanced past the first round in each of its last five appearances. 

While Coach Hardeman and the Cougars will greatly miss the presence and contributions of their four seniors in Paige Uyehara, Molly Whitmore, TyLee Manuel and Kayden Casey, the future is bright for the Cougars with key veterans and young players set to return next season. The 2023-24 team has certainly elevated the program to even greater levels, and the 2024-25 squad has the potential to do the same.